Suspect claims angel pulls him and wife from river

It is one of many peculiarities that have Chaffee County Sheriff’s investigators wondering whether Nancy Ann Mason’s death on May 30, 2004, was not accidental and perhaps her 55-year-old former husband was somehow involved.

In a phone interview with The Post, Dan Mason said what he thought he heard may not have been his wife screaming after all: it may have been a miraculous manifestation.

“Let’s talk about the other, paranormal part, too,” Dan Mason said. “I told them an angel pulled me out of the water.

That angel was as real to me as my children. That’s what I saw. Maybe the angel screamed. Who cares what my brain would have thought when I was going through a crisis.”

A coroner’s inquest or a grand jury may soon be convened to determine whether Nancy Mason was the victim of foul play, Chaffee County Sheriff’s Lt. Rob Martellaro said.

“The death is very suspicious,” Martellaro said. “It is a possible homicide.”

Several other circumstances related to Nancy Mason’s death raise suspicions, he said.

A computer-generated document filed online weeks before her death willed all of Nancy Mason’s possessions to Dan, whom she married six months earlier. After her death, he declined to speak with an insurance adjuster to give his explanation of how his wife died, thereby forfeiting $54,000, Martellaro said.

When initially contacted by phone, Dan Mason declined an interview.

“I absolutely will never talk about that again,” he said. “It was an accident. They tried to frame me on that. I have nothing to say on that.”

But a few minutes later, Dan Mason called The Post back and answered detailed questions about his wife’s death for more than an hour.

Chaffee County authorities began investigating Nancy Mason’s death as a homicide after they were contacted by Nancy Mason’s ex-husband, disbarred attorney Todd Linville, who is serving a 32-year prison term for bilking clients out of $3.3 million. Linville was convicted in 2005.

Hmmm…these two sound like murderous gay lovers who are scamming and murdering women for their money. I would most definitely look at that possibility.Stories just don’t jibe. It also sounds like this Gallegos might be trying to set his friend/possible gay lover up too. Maybe someone is losing their interest and wants all the money for himself?

Simone

Hmmm…these two sound like murderous gay lovers who are scamming and murdering women for their money. I would most definitely look at that possibility.Stories just don’t jibe. It also sounds like this Gallegos might be trying to set his friend/possible gay lover up too. Maybe someone is losing their interest and wants all the money for himself?

charles carroll

These police must be idiots , with all the apparent evidence they should have been in custody.What grand jury would walk away from the evidence at hand here .It might not be air tight but I bet it would be easy to get to Gallegos and get him to roll over on mason .

charles carroll

These police must be idiots , with all the apparent evidence they should have been in custody.What grand jury would walk away from the evidence at hand here .It might not be air tight but I bet it would be easy to get to Gallegos and get him to roll over on mason .

Carroll M.

It seems to me if Chaffee County had any REAL evidence, Dan Mason and Efren Gallegos would have been arrested five years ago when this happened. Why doesn’t anyone want to believe this woman just FELL? I would imagine her family would like to have someone to blame, but sometimes accidents happen. I am someone who dated Dan Mason, and I will some day have a lot of money. I actually have access to a lot now. He always knew this, and NEVER seemed the least bit interested. He left me to marry a dirt poor Chinese woman. I never saw any sign of a bad temper, and just because Ms. Jeffcoat says he wasn’t affectionate, does not make it so. He was very affectionate and was so in public. So much of what was written here is only part of the story—only the parts that make this seem like a murder are told. There is a lot more to this. One thing I do resent is Chaffee County going aroung and coming right out and telling people these two men are murderers before there has even been an arrest!!! What ever happened to civil rights???

Carroll M.

It seems to me if Chaffee County had any REAL evidence, Dan Mason and Efren Gallegos would have been arrested five years ago when this happened. Why doesn’t anyone want to believe this woman just FELL? I would imagine her family would like to have someone to blame, but sometimes accidents happen. I am someone who dated Dan Mason, and I will some day have a lot of money. I actually have access to a lot now. He always knew this, and NEVER seemed the least bit interested. He left me to marry a dirt poor Chinese woman. I never saw any sign of a bad temper, and just because Ms. Jeffcoat says he wasn’t affectionate, does not make it so. He was very affectionate and was so in public. So much of what was written here is only part of the story—only the parts that make this seem like a murder are told. There is a lot more to this. One thing I do resent is Chaffee County going aroung and coming right out and telling people these two men are murderers before there has even been an arrest!!! What ever happened to civil rights???

Carroll M.

Carroll here again – wanted to add a few things. I am only one of the women in Dan Mason’s life who do not have anything bad to say about him. I am wondering why this blog only mentions the two who hate him – ex-wife Janet Kiddy and an older women he just couldn’t get interest in or attracted to (Jeffcoat). I have met women he knows, and they have nothing but good things to say. Chaffee County needs to get the statements of these women printed – women like me. I also keep reading that Nancy Mason could not have screamed when this accident happened. A shelf rock gave way under her (she was kind of heavy). I feel like it is entirely possible that as she felt it give way, she let out screams; then broke her neck on the tumble down to the river. Chaffee County is also saying that there were computer searches made on “how to kill someone?” Those computers were purchased after Nancy’s death. I saw paperwork when Dan was here in Odessa. Chaffee County also keeps going on and on about a written script of the “murder.” That is total crap. They found journals written after Nancy’s fall. Journaling is a method of getting over grief. I did this after my own brother’s death at my therapist’s suggestion,and I still keep a journal. It is called therapy. Not a script. That is just stupid. Again, I just can’t understand why these small town policemen and Nancy’s family can’t let this go. I feel for her mom and dad, her children, etc., but why can’t they accept an accidental death?

Carroll M.

Carroll here again – wanted to add a few things. I am only one of the women in Dan Mason’s life who do not have anything bad to say about him. I am wondering why this blog only mentions the two who hate him – ex-wife Janet Kiddy and an older women he just couldn’t get interest in or attracted to (Jeffcoat). I have met women he knows, and they have nothing but good things to say. Chaffee County needs to get the statements of these women printed – women like me. I also keep reading that Nancy Mason could not have screamed when this accident happened. A shelf rock gave way under her (she was kind of heavy). I feel like it is entirely possible that as she felt it give way, she let out screams; then broke her neck on the tumble down to the river. Chaffee County is also saying that there were computer searches made on “how to kill someone?” Those computers were purchased after Nancy’s death. I saw paperwork when Dan was here in Odessa. Chaffee County also keeps going on and on about a written script of the “murder.” That is total crap. They found journals written after Nancy’s fall. Journaling is a method of getting over grief. I did this after my own brother’s death at my therapist’s suggestion,and I still keep a journal. It is called therapy. Not a script. That is just stupid. Again, I just can’t understand why these small town policemen and Nancy’s family can’t let this go. I feel for her mom and dad, her children, etc., but why can’t they accept an accidental death?

Carroll M.

Oh darn. I also wanted to address something that someone called Simone left on here. She says Efren Gallegos wants all the money for himself. WHAT MONEY? There is no money my dear, I promise you. Get the facts before you go expressing your opinion!

Carroll M.

Oh darn. I also wanted to address something that someone called Simone left on here. She says Efren Gallegos wants all the money for himself. WHAT MONEY? There is no money my dear, I promise you. Get the facts before you go expressing your opinion!

sally s.

Carroll M, please be careful. These men are trouble. Would you spell your own child’s name wrong on a will??? Not hardly. Do you think the paramedics lied?? Not hardly. This man has been married how many times??? Please be careful.

sally s.

Carroll M, please be careful. These men are trouble. Would you spell your own child’s name wrong on a will??? Not hardly. Do you think the paramedics lied?? Not hardly. This man has been married how many times??? Please be careful.

Landy Sweetmore

Through the news today I was shocked to hear of Nancy’s death. I have known Dan for a couple of years through work, indeed worked at the water treatment company Nancy owned.
She struck me as a very nice woman and always had good things to say to me during the conversations we shared. It always struck me as odd that she would marry such a charater as Dan Mason. I guess they say love is blind.
Upon hearing the TV report, my first thought was that Dan and Efren had done a foul and dirty deed to this wonderful woman for money. I have no proof, and nothing to add to the facts of this case. My statement is based solely upon my knowledge of Dan Masons’ character, which I find highly questionable to say the least.
Nancy was a nurse. She had difficulty walking. I find it questionable that she would carry herself up a rocky crag, where a nimble person would have to be mindful of falling and put herself in danger simply to fish.
To abandon your wife on the bank of a body of water, not breathing, alone when his friend could have sought help strikes me as cruel and a telling indicator of original intent. If I didn’t know CPR and MY wife was not breathing, brother I can tell you I would fake it and perform what little I did know and make up the rest in an effort to save my wife.
I am so sorry for the families, in this you have my condolences. I don’t know if the men murdered this woman. Acutally I hope for their lives they did not.
However if there was foul play involved in this case, neither one of them can stand the scrutiny of interrogation. They say “rattlesnakes don’t commit suicide”. If there is something nefarious to tell, they will turn on each other so quick it will make Bandimeer look like a school zone.

Landy Sweetmore

Through the news today I was shocked to hear of Nancy’s death. I have known Dan for a couple of years through work, indeed worked at the water treatment company Nancy owned.
She struck me as a very nice woman and always had good things to say to me during the conversations we shared. It always struck me as odd that she would marry such a charater as Dan Mason. I guess they say love is blind.
Upon hearing the TV report, my first thought was that Dan and Efren had done a foul and dirty deed to this wonderful woman for money. I have no proof, and nothing to add to the facts of this case. My statement is based solely upon my knowledge of Dan Masons’ character, which I find highly questionable to say the least.
Nancy was a nurse. She had difficulty walking. I find it questionable that she would carry herself up a rocky crag, where a nimble person would have to be mindful of falling and put herself in danger simply to fish.
To abandon your wife on the bank of a body of water, not breathing, alone when his friend could have sought help strikes me as cruel and a telling indicator of original intent. If I didn’t know CPR and MY wife was not breathing, brother I can tell you I would fake it and perform what little I did know and make up the rest in an effort to save my wife.
I am so sorry for the families, in this you have my condolences. I don’t know if the men murdered this woman. Acutally I hope for their lives they did not.
However if there was foul play involved in this case, neither one of them can stand the scrutiny of interrogation. They say “rattlesnakes don’t commit suicide”. If there is something nefarious to tell, they will turn on each other so quick it will make Bandimeer look like a school zone.

K. M. Passion

It is so unfortunate that people feel the need to make comments on information that is not complete and certainly not accurate. I sat in that courtroom for the entire 4 days. How could over 30 witnesses, most of whom had never met or even known about the others, all have a story that never deviated. I too knew Dan, Efren and Nancy and was in the group where the last picture was taken. In addition to Dan and Efren, the one’s who really need to be questioned are the District Attorneys in Chaffee County. They are the reason nothing was done all these years. I hope there is an intense investigation as to why they wanted to do nothing then, and still want to do nothing. It is a very scary thing. They have piles and piles of evidence, but are still unwilling to act on this case. Dan and Efren are people to stay away from, unless you want to meet an early demise.

K. M. Passion

It is so unfortunate that people feel the need to make comments on information that is not complete and certainly not accurate. I sat in that courtroom for the entire 4 days. How could over 30 witnesses, most of whom had never met or even known about the others, all have a story that never deviated. I too knew Dan, Efren and Nancy and was in the group where the last picture was taken. In addition to Dan and Efren, the one’s who really need to be questioned are the District Attorneys in Chaffee County. They are the reason nothing was done all these years. I hope there is an intense investigation as to why they wanted to do nothing then, and still want to do nothing. It is a very scary thing. They have piles and piles of evidence, but are still unwilling to act on this case. Dan and Efren are people to stay away from, unless you want to meet an early demise.

Stephanie

This is just nuts. The more I read about this the more I have to shake my head. If Efren is gay and likes older men then I’m a virgin and can turn him straight. I’ve known Efren for years and he’s a hard working little son of a gun and I trust him with my life. He has a key to my home access to all my documents and has attended numerous fuctions at non profit auctions ect and has met my friends who are mostly harvard grads that love him as much as I. This is a witch hunt that needs to be put to rest. And the DA is right. You can’t try a case on hear say and damn rumors. Get a life people.

Stephanie

This is just nuts. The more I read about this the more I have to shake my head. If Efren is gay and likes older men then I’m a virgin and can turn him straight. I’ve known Efren for years and he’s a hard working little son of a gun and I trust him with my life. He has a key to my home access to all my documents and has attended numerous fuctions at non profit auctions ect and has met my friends who are mostly harvard grads that love him as much as I. This is a witch hunt that needs to be put to rest. And the DA is right. You can’t try a case on hear say and damn rumors. Get a life people.

Carroll M.

Carroll here again addressing what Landy has said about Nancy having trouble walking….a physician testified that after her foot surgery she was just FINE. She would have had no trouble walking or hiking at that time. Like I have said, get your facts straight before you talk.

Carroll M.

Carroll here again addressing what Landy has said about Nancy having trouble walking….a physician testified that after her foot surgery she was just FINE. She would have had no trouble walking or hiking at that time. Like I have said, get your facts straight before you talk.

Crime-victim

Quote “Get your facts straight.”

Have you ever had foot surgery? It takes years to recover depending on what kind of surgery you had, how fast your body heals. How much you weigh can also be a factor as far as being unstable as you walk.
I had surgery on my foot five years ago and I am still having trouble with my balance. There is no way that I would be standing on that cliff.

I am so very saddened for the family of Nancy Ann Mason. It seems that the legal system has failed to find closure for the parents and sons of Ms. Mason.
I have found through my own unfortunate experience that the DA’s office actually are not always there to protect the victim. Fight for justice!!

Crime-victim

Quote “Get your facts straight.”

Have you ever had foot surgery? It takes years to recover depending on what kind of surgery you had, how fast your body heals. How much you weigh can also be a factor as far as being unstable as you walk.
I had surgery on my foot five years ago and I am still having trouble with my balance. There is no way that I would be standing on that cliff.

I am so very saddened for the family of Nancy Ann Mason. It seems that the legal system has failed to find closure for the parents and sons of Ms. Mason.
I have found through my own unfortunate experience that the DA’s office actually are not always there to protect the victim. Fight for justice!!

Anonymous

Interesting story all the way around. Obviously a district attorney with no ambition to do his job – he never even visited the site of the “accident” himself – said he trusted the accounts of his staff. That kind of lazy attitude should not be tolerated in a DA. I sincerely hope that they are successful in getting a Special Prosecutor assigned to the case. Given the facts and suspicions it is certainly warranted.
Definitely enough evidence or circumstance to make the accident story implausible.
Right off the top: a) the Gallegos guy – always with them – unusual.
b) that she would hike up a ledge to fish in a raging river – you pick calm spots in a river and if her feet hurt and she was a bit on the heavy side then it’s even more implausible
c) Mason pulls her from the water and then he and Gallegos BOTH leave her there to go get help – NO WAY guys. That one right there waves red flags all around. Not a response that you can come up with would justify that one.
d) the drive the wrong way on the road to get help – the guys fishing gear all packed up nice and neat in the truck. Seems more likely that they were planning on driving off, leaving her for dead, possibly reporting her “missing” later on. Unfortunately for them they came across witnesses, the Clevelands on their ATV, and had to think of something fast because they’d been seen.

One more thing – from the posts read here it is a little obvious that Carroll M and Stephanie are not who they want to appear to be and are most likely the suspects themselves

Anonymous

Interesting story all the way around. Obviously a district attorney with no ambition to do his job – he never even visited the site of the “accident” himself – said he trusted the accounts of his staff. That kind of lazy attitude should not be tolerated in a DA. I sincerely hope that they are successful in getting a Special Prosecutor assigned to the case. Given the facts and suspicions it is certainly warranted.
Definitely enough evidence or circumstance to make the accident story implausible.
Right off the top: a) the Gallegos guy – always with them – unusual.
b) that she would hike up a ledge to fish in a raging river – you pick calm spots in a river and if her feet hurt and she was a bit on the heavy side then it’s even more implausible
c) Mason pulls her from the water and then he and Gallegos BOTH leave her there to go get help – NO WAY guys. That one right there waves red flags all around. Not a response that you can come up with would justify that one.
d) the drive the wrong way on the road to get help – the guys fishing gear all packed up nice and neat in the truck. Seems more likely that they were planning on driving off, leaving her for dead, possibly reporting her “missing” later on. Unfortunately for them they came across witnesses, the Clevelands on their ATV, and had to think of something fast because they’d been seen.

One more thing – from the posts read here it is a little obvious that Carroll M and Stephanie are not who they want to appear to be and are most likely the suspects themselves

anonymous

its funny i sit here and read about this and what you all have to say and just can seem to not make a comment. i went to high school with efran.and i have to tell you that though he could be a real nice guy there was always something a little strange. he was very quiet and kinda odd.its ok to defend the efran that you might know who is a nice guy but always remember there is sometimes a whole other person in there that you have no idea about. i know that those of us who went to school with him (though maybe not all) are disgusted.and believe me i am not bragging by any means that i ever knew him. i am soo very sorry to nancys family and friends. god bless you and have faith that if they do not receive their punishment while alive the punishment they receive on their judgement day is going to be far worse.and they will get it!

anonymous

its funny i sit here and read about this and what you all have to say and just can seem to not make a comment. i went to high school with efran.and i have to tell you that though he could be a real nice guy there was always something a little strange. he was very quiet and kinda odd.its ok to defend the efran that you might know who is a nice guy but always remember there is sometimes a whole other person in there that you have no idea about. i know that those of us who went to school with him (though maybe not all) are disgusted.and believe me i am not bragging by any means that i ever knew him. i am soo very sorry to nancys family and friends. god bless you and have faith that if they do not receive their punishment while alive the punishment they receive on their judgement day is going to be far worse.and they will get it!

frank142

Carroll M is either one of the two suspects or a total idiot. granted, i am not privy to all the facts of this case but when a will has been altered in close proximity to an unusual death – fould play should suspected. ESPECIALLY when one of the children's names is mis-spelled. no one that cares about their spouse would leave them lying on the ground unconscious, not breathing while they “look for help.” they didn't try CPR, they didn't bring ther with them and they went the wrong way. The witnesses said they didn't even go near the body when they returned. They are killers and the Chaffee County cops should get their act together and arrest these two guys before they kill someone else's mother. Gallegos is weak, he's a follower and would crack under pressure. too bad the cops aren't applying it correctly.

frank142

Carroll M is either one of the two suspects or a total idiot. granted, i am not privy to all the facts of this case but when a will has been altered in close proximity to an unusual death – fould play should suspected. ESPECIALLY when one of the children's names is mis-spelled. no one that cares about their spouse would leave them lying on the ground unconscious, not breathing while they “look for help.” they didn't try CPR, they didn't bring ther with them and they went the wrong way. The witnesses said they didn't even go near the body when they returned. They are killers and the Chaffee County cops should get their act together and arrest these two guys before they kill someone else's mother. Gallegos is weak, he's a follower and would crack under pressure. too bad the cops aren't applying it correctly.

Kirk Mitchell is a general assignment reporter at The Denver Post who focuses on criminal justice stories. He began working at the newspaper in 1998, after writing for newspapers in Mesa, Ariz., and Twin Falls, Idaho, and The Associated Press in Salt Lake City. Mitchell first started writing the Cold Case blog in Fall 2007, in part because Colorado has more than 1,400 unsolved homicides.